


Growing Pains

by konvineo



Category: Agent Carter (TV), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Awesome Peggy Carter, Bonding over fight techniques, Developing Relationship, Drabble, F/M, Peggy know what's up, Post-Serum Steve Rogers, Steve is awed
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-27
Updated: 2016-02-27
Packaged: 2018-05-23 14:50:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,252
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6119860
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/konvineo/pseuds/konvineo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The thing people don't consider about going from small and astmatic to tall and physically fit, in the time it takes for a super-soldier serum to take affect, is that it takes time to get used to. Steve knows that all too well. He also knows that people expect Captain America to get everything right on the first try.<br/>Peggy Carter on the other hand knows that there is such a thing as growing pains.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Growing Pains

**Author's Note:**

> Okey-dokey, so this is my first fanfic in years, so I really hope you'll enjoy it.  
> Based on my headcanon that Steve is extremely awkward and find it extremely hard to learn close combat because he just isn't used to the post-serum body. However since Peggy is just that awesome she swoops in and teaches him how to fight in the most efficient way. Aaand this headcanon came about when I saw [this photoset](http://konvineo.tumblr.com/post/139668695862)

“We’re done for today, Rogers.” A curt voice said from inside the gym followed by the sound of something being dropped on the ground.

 

Peggy paused by the door, frowning. She had noticed as of late that more and more of the personnel responsible for Steve’s training were becoming short and impatient with him during sessions. It was even starting to become a topic of discussion, although the discussions were of the sort whispered while Steve wasn’t within earshot. Of course, if people would have had the sense to step back and look at the situation they would have realized that their frustration and disappointment only became greater by gossiping. Peggy knew that everything could be boiled down to a very simple statement: “Captain America wasn’t progressing fast enough in his physical training.”

 

The heavy stomping of boots on the other side of the door brought Peggy out of her contemplations in time to square her shoulders and stand up straight as a man came out of the gym. He stopped in his tracks clearly surprised by her presence. She politely inclined her head before moving past him into the gym, faintly registering faint grumbling about women in the military before the door closed behind her.

 

Steve was sitting on a bench against the wall opposite the door, looked down at his hands. Body language screaming tense frustration. 

 

“Now, Rogers, I can tell just by looking at you that something is bothering you. You might as well skip trying to convince me otherwise and just tell me.”

 

Steve’s head snapped up and, if it was even possible at this point, his body tensed up a fraction more. 

 

“Oh! Hey, Peggy...” 

 

Peggy walked over and sat down on the bench beside him to wait for him start talking. She knew that with Steve sometimes the best tactic to get him talking was to just wait patiently. Probing questions would just make him clam up and stubbornly dodge the subject all together. So, patiently she waited. By her side, Peggy felt the heat radiating off of Steve and as she studied him she noticed that his hair was slightly damp with sweat. So either the program for today’s session had been genuinely strenuous for him or Steve had simply started hammering away in frustration about halfway through, Peggy concluded. The latter seemed more likely considering the situation. He was still looking down at his hands. It was only then she saw that he was massaging the right one. She had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep herself from asking. Everything on their time Carter she reminded herself.

 

Finally Steve sighed and slumped down, his newly added bulk clearly making it a rather awkward posture for him. “I’m not doing well… or, well, I’m not learning all of this fast enough.”

 

Steve looked up and met her eyes with a tired smile. “I’m Captain America! I’m supposed to just know how to fight by pure instinct… but! It’s just not happening.” He made a vague gesture toward the door. His voice was sounding more and more frustrated as he talked. “I can feel my coach getting frustrated. I know how people talk around the facility. I’m trying, I really am! But everything - everything is just so...”

 

Steve stopped clearly searching for the right word.

 

“Awkward?” Peggy supplied.

 

Steve nodded and shifted his gaze back down to his hands. He shrugged while the muscles in his jaw set. “It’s like I don’t have any control over how my body moves anymore…”

 

Peggy looked at Steve for a moment. Partly to be sure that Steve was done talking. Partly to let him pull his anger back a little so he would actually be able to hear what she was saying. She gently placed her hand on his shoulder. “Steve, it’s completely understandable that you weren’t an expert fighter the moment the serum entered your bloodstream.”

 

At this Steve looked up again with an incredulous expression on his face. Peggy removed her hand from his shoulder and held it up as a sign for him wait with his answer. “Hear me out, Steve.”

 

His closed his mouth and nodded slightly.

 

“People - you included - forget that all of this.” She gestured to him which earned her a half smile and just the faintest hint of of a blush. “All of this isn’t something you grew into. Under normal circumstances you would grow into your height over multiple years… this level of muscle mass and fitness would normally take months to gain. Months and years to ease into your body. To move through being awkward and into control. Steve, I’m terribly sorry to inform you of this, but you’re basically going through another puberty.”

 

Steve wrinkled his nose obviously illustrating his distaste of the thought and Peggy couldn’t help the smile that crept onto her face. “My thoughts exactly if I were in your position. All jokes aside though. You and everyone else needs to be more patient. It unfortunately takes time.”

 

“You’re right, I guess.” Steve sighed and leaned back to rest against the wall.

 

They both lapsed into comfortable silence. It seemed, to Peggy, that Steve felt a bit better about his situation. She knew it would take a lot more encouragement and progress in his training before he would really confident in his abilities but it was the first step. 

 

“Now, what happened to your hand?” Peggy finally asked.

 

Steve held his right hand up and his expression turned sheepish. “I hurt it while training. You know, jabbing one of the sandbags. It’ll get better soon so it really isn’t that big of a deal.” 

 

Thoughtfully, Peggy looked at Steve’s hand and ordered, “make a fist.”

 

“Excuse me?”

“You might not be making a proper fist.” She elaborated.

 

Steve did as he was told, though still looking rather confused, and curled his fingers against his palm with his thumb tucked under his fingers.

 

“Ah! Here’s the problem!” Peggy reached out and made Steve turn his clenched hand palm up. “When you tuck your thumb under your fingers like this, you’re almost guaranteed to hurt yourself the first time you try to throw a punch at someone.”

 

“Really? I didn’t know that… or that it even mattered.” Steve looked at his fist and turned it slowly to look at it. He then looked back at Peggy. “How should I do it then? So I don’t hurt myself that is?”

 

Peggy smiled, held up her hand and curled her fingers tightly so the tips touched the top of the palm. Then she curled her fingers in against her palm and lastly placed the thumb over her fingers. “This way you’re less likely to injure your hands and you can safely dole out black eyes.”

 

Steve looked at her intently for a moment - Peggy refused to acknowledge at this time the little flips her heart made -  then mimicked her movements. “Peggy Carter, you are one amazing dame!”

 

Peggy chose in that instant to get up to hide just how pleased Steve’s compliment had made her. “What would you say to taking extra classes in close combat with me? I think I might be able to teach you some good close combat techniques.”

 

Steve’s whole face lit up in a brilliant and awed smile and he straightened up. “That would be an honour!”

 

“It’s a deal then. I expect you to be here tomorrow evening after dinner.” 

  
“Yes, ma’am!” Steve said with a mock salute and delighted laugh.


End file.
